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The rain cleared long enough on the morning of Jan. 3 for a unique event that was years in the making—the movement of the Collins Elementary School students and staff and name, to the old Portal school site three blocks away. The old Collins site on Vista Drive will now become the location of Sam Lawson Middle School, the fifth middle school in the Cupertino Union School District, which will open in the fall.
Collins students gathered for their first day of class after the winter recess, but instead of going into their classrooms as usual, they journeyed over to their new school site one class at a time. Patrols with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department made sure the students could safely cross Blaney Avenue to reach their new school, which was almost completely rebuilt using funds from Measure C, the $80 million bond passed by voters in 2001.
The approximately 400 students and 75 parents in attendance watched district superintendent Bill Bragg and members of the school board cut a ceremonial ribbon before the youngsters found their classrooms and began their school year anew. Students also enjoy a moment to find their unique handprint installed on the wall of their new school—a way to spread the Cougar spirit to Collins' new digs.
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Photograph by Carien Veldpape